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The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on the Meaning of Life, Social Functioning and Attitudes of Elderly People with Empty Nest Syndrome
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Sara Fakharian Moghaddam   , قاسم آهی * , Qasem Ahi |
| Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran & Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran |
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Abstract: (204 Views) |
Introduction: The elderly face a wide range of negative emotions and there is a growing concern about their physical and mental health. The aim of the present study was to determine the compassion-based therapy effectiveness on the meaning of life, social functioning and attitudes of the elderly who are suffering from empty nest syndrome.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test post-test with a control group, and its statistical population was all the elderly in Mashhad Park Mellat sports group from November to February 2025, from which 32 people (16 in control group and 16 in experimental group) were selected by convenient sampling method and randomly assigned in to two groups. Participants responded to Steager meaning of life Self-report questionnaire, Liu et al social functioning questionnaire, and Gao et al attitude questionnaire. Compassion-based therapy was administered in 8 sessions each lasted for 90 minutes, once a week.
Results: The findings of the study showed that by controlling for the pre-test effect, there was a significant difference between the post-test life meaning, social functioning, and attitudes toward aging (psychosocial deficit and psychosocial growth components) (p<0.05), but no difference was observed in the positive physical changes component between the experimental and control groups (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Compassion-based therapy can be used as an effective therapy method in order to improve the meaning in life, social functioning, and attitudes toward aging. Therefore, it is suggested that the results extracted from this study be considered in assessments and intervention design and that this method be used to improve the mental health of the elderly.
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| Keywords: Attitudes of Elderly, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Meaning of Life, Social Functioning |
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Type of Study: Original research |
Subject:
geriatric rehabilitation
Received: 2025/07/15 | Accepted: 2025/10/10 | Published: 2025/10/10
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